I don’t stop, finally dragging my blade up the thin skin of his scalp, over to the other side to my starting point. Once the cut is joined, I drop my knife, placing my cigarette into my mouth and curl my fingers beneath the flesh of his scalp. Brain matter seeps between my fingers as I slowly peel the flesh from his body. The face is the hardest, separating such thin skin from muscles and fatty tissue. Ripping down roughly, I pull the flesh from his body in five minutes flat, my cigarette falling to the bloodied ground, where his skin now lays with the rest of his organs and fluid in a pool at his feet.
Wicked turns off the music finally, and that’s when I hear the deep breaths I’m inhaling and exhaling.
“Jesus,” Lion murmurs. “Seeing you rip is something I will never get used to.”
I turn to face the two of them, my lips curled and my brain frantic. The adrenaline that pulses through me after ripping is addictive. I wish I could say I try not to go there when I kill, but give me the chance and I’ll take it.
“We’ll send in the cleanup crew,” Lion says, reaching forward and pressing his finger into the flaming red muscle in Kyle’s thigh. He scrunches his face. “You’re a sick bastard. You know that, right?”
I smirk, running my tongue over my lips and swallowing the blood that had fallen. “One would say a Sicko.”
My phone vibrates in my jean pocket and I fish it out. “Hey, baby.”
“Roy,” she breathes into the phone. “I’m in labor.”
One year later
The sun sets off in the distance, ducking behind one of the many mountains that are on the edge of the ocean at what is now our cabin. The MC, our families, and close friends are over for dinner. Meat is grilling on the BBQ in the far distance, while people are scattered around the place, drinking and chatting. Royce has our princess on his lap near the fire pit, his eyes on mine as she clings to his index finger happily. My heart fills with warmth seeing them together. I will never get used to it. The night I went into labor, I was at the clubhouse helping my mom and Kara set the food up for the hog feast that was happening. Another chapter was in town, so naturally they were crashing at the club. My water broke right there in the kitchen. My doctor said that I’d have enough time to make it to the hospital, so I needn’t worry.
She was wrong.
I gave birth to Wolf Jade Kane exactly ten minutes after my water broke. We didn’t have time to get out of the house before I was giving birth to her on Wolf Pack soil. Made her papa proud, and her grandpa even more so.
Royce kisses the top of her blonde hair, her green eyes coming to mine from across the table.
“You know, you’re both in so much trouble with her,” Sloane says, sitting on one of the chairs beside me as Orson and Storm prepare the boat, tossing the wakeboards and life jackets on.
“Oh, I know,” I say, smiling. “But look at how bad she has wrapped her daddy around her fingers.”
“Mmmhmmm,” Sloane jokes. “Not just your daddy. Now you have to share him.”
I roll my eyes at her lame joke just as Royce comes over, handing Wolf to Sloane. “You wanna come out for a shred?”
I shake my head. “I’m good.” I haven’t been out since I gave birth to Wolf. There’s no way I’m going out tonight, after a few beers.
“You sure?” He leans down, his arms bulging as he squeezes the side of my chair. “You were always keen for a ride on my board.”
I shove him. “Go play. I’ll stay here.”
“Alright, baby.” He kisses me on the head before planting one on Wolf and disappearing toward the dock.
“You two are so cute it’s disturbing, yet oddly satisfying,” Sloane says, kicking her feet up to rest on a log, just as Kara, Karli, Silver, Poppy and my mom and dad make their way over.
“I think it was bound to happen.” India shoves my shoulder, the playful tone in her voice evident while taking the seat beside me.
I chuckle, my head leaning back, watching as all the brothers scatter everywhere, drinking and eating the food that we prepared all day. This is my family and what family feels like.
“What you thinking, baby girl?” Dad asks, taking his pride and joy off Sloane.
I sigh. “Just that life couldn’t get much better than what it is right now.”
Poppy drops down onto the chair opposite me, with Wicked hovering not far behind her. That man is just like Royce when it comes to Poppy. I scoff to myself, thinking of the obvious crush Gypsy has on her. In his dreams. When Wicked moves closer to her, Billie follows.